beyond the valley

Different cultures have different ways of preparing for the “Journey” to the afterworld. Among the interesting one is the funeral procession of The Bulibasha (King) of the Romanian Gypsy Community. Based on the Romani death ritual customs, it is a common thing to have a large crowd at a Romani funeral. It is an occasion for friends and family to unite, to wish the departed a good journey as he or she enters a new life. Pictures were taken from this website:

http://pufone.org/blog/gypsy-grave/

  “Verily, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to Allah, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, and he will tell you what you used to do.”
Surah Al-Jumu’ah ayah 8

“If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): “Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire-“
Surah An Anfal ayah 50

And He it is Who gives life and causes death, and (in) His (control) is the alternation of the night and the day; do you not then understand?
AL-MUMENOON ayah 80

“Who has created death and life, that he may test you which of you is best in deed”
Surah Al Mulk ayah 2

They will say: “Our lord! You have made us to die twice, and you have given us life twice! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out of the Fire?”
Surah Ghafir ayah 11

“And the stupor of death will come in truth; that is what you were trying to escape.”
Surah Qaf ayah 19

“We have decreed death to all of you, and we are not unable.”
Surah Al-Waqia ayah 60

“Every soul must taste of death, then to Us you shall be brought back.”
Surah Al Ankaboot ayah 57erily, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to Allah, the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, and he will tell you what you used to do.”
Surah Al-Jumu’ah ayah 8 “If thou couldst see, when the angels take the souls of the Unbelievers (at death), (How) they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): “Taste the penalty of the blazing Fire-“
Surah An Anfal ayah 50

And He it is Who gives life and causes death, and (in) His (control) is the alternation of the night and the day; do you not then understand?
AL-MUMENOON ayah 80

“Who has created death and life, that he may test you which of you is best in deed”
Surah Al Mulk ayah 2

They will say: “Our lord! You have made us to die twice, and you have given us life twice! Now we confess our sins, then is there any way to get out of the Fire?”
Surah Ghafir ayah 11

“And the stupor of death will come in truth; that is what you were trying to escape.”
Surah Qaf ayah 19

“We have decreed death to all of you, and we are not unable.”
Surah Al-Waqia ayah 60

“Every soul must taste of death, then to Us you shall be brought back.”
Surah Al Ankaboot ayah 57

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

New Attacks in West Darfur

Christina Hueschen

On the ground – Sudan’s armed forces launched an offensive in West Darfur on February 8 with the supposed aim of clearing out rebel fighters from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). But residents of the targeted towns Abu Surouj, Suleia and Sirba, and surrounding villages, say the rebels had left days before the attacks.  The violence was the region’s worst in months and affected up to 60,000 Darfuris, 12,000 of whom fled into Chad.  Locals say more than 100 civilians were killed.

Today, Sudan’s army clashed again with Darfur rebels in the mountainous Jabel Moun area.  The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) withdrew a team caring for refugees from the Chad/Darfur border after today’s fresh aerial bombing.In diplomacy – American President George W. Bush paid somber homage today to the estimated 800,000 killed in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.  President Bush, who is currently on a five-country Africa tour, urged global action to end the bloodshed in Sudan’s Darfur region “once and for all.” He called again for a “robust” UN/African Union peacekeeping force Darfur, and insisted that China must act “collaboratively” on efforts to end violence there. The president of Chad declared a 15-day nationwide state of emergency on Thursday.  President Idriss Deby said the emergency powers, which include a night-time curfew and controls on the movement of vehicles, are needed to restore order after the recent coup attempt in the capital.In the activist movement – US film director Steven Spielberg withdrew last week as an artistic adviser for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  In a statement, he accused China of not doing enough to pressure Sudan to end the “continuing human suffering” in western Darfur.

And so I leave this world, where the heart must either break or turn to lead.
Suicide note.
~~ Nicolas-Sebastien Chamfort, French writer, d. 1794

Frances and Courtney, I’ll be at your altar. Please keep going Courtney, for Frances for her life will be so much happier without me. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.
Suicide note.
~~ Kurt Cobain, musician, d. April 8, 1994

Goodbye, everybody!
Last words as he jumped off the cruise ship “Orizaba.” (His body was never found.)
~~ Hart Crane, poet, d. April 27, 1932

To my friends: My work is done. Why wait?
Suicide note.
~~ George Eastman, inventor, d. March 14, 1932

Goodbye, my friend, goodbye
My love, you are in my heart.
It was preordained we should part
And be reunited by and by.
Goodbye: no handshake to endure.
Let’s have no sadness — furrowed brow.
There’s nothing new in dying now
Though living is no newer.
Written in his own blood, and given to a friend the day before he hanged himself.
~~ Sergei Esenin, Russian poet, d. Dec. 28, 1925

When all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one.
Suicide note.
~~ Charlotte Perkins Gilman, writer, d. August 17, 1935
( As an advocate for the right-to-die, Gilman committed suicide on August 17, 1935 by taking an overdose of chloroform. She “chose chloroform over cancer.”)

Lets see if this will do it.
Accidental suicide as he shot himself with a blank-loaded pistol on the set of TV spy show “Cover Up.” The concussion forced a chunk of his skull into his brain; he died six days later.
~~ Jon Erik Hexum, actor, d. October 18, 1984

All fled–all done, so lift me on the pyre;
The feast is over, and the lamps expire.
Suicide note.
~~ Robert E. Howard, writer, d. June 11, 1936

And now, in keeping with Channel 40’s policy of always bringing you the latest in blood and guts, in living color, you’re about to see another first – an attempted suicide.
Shot herself during broadcast.
~~ Chris Chubbuck, newscaster, d. July 15, 1974

Don’t worry, it’s not loaded.
Suicide playing Russian roulette.
~~ Terry Kath, rock musician, d. January 23, 1978

They tried to get me – I got them first!
Suicide by drinking Lysol.
~~ Vachel Lindsay, poet, d. December 4, 1931

I must end it. There’s no hope left. I’ll be at peace. No one had anything to do with this. My decision totally.
Suicide note.
~~ Freddie Prinze, comedian, d. January 29, 1977

Dear World, I am leaving you because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool – good luck.
Suicide note.
~~ George Sanders, British actor, d. April 25, 1972

When I am dead, and over me bright April
Shakes out her rain drenched hair,
Tho you should lean above me broken hearted,
I shall not care.
For I shall have peace.
As leafey trees are peaceful
When rain bends down the bough.
And I shall be more silent and cold hearted
Than you are now.
Suicide note to her lover who left her.
~~ Sara Teasdale, poet, d. 1933

“Football Season Is Over.”
No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax This won’t hurt.
Hunter left the note for his wife, Anita. He shot himself four days later at his home in Aspen, Colo., after weeks of pain from a host of physical problems that included a broken leg and a hip replacement.
~~ Hunter S. Thompson, author, d. 20 February, 2005
The writer’s ashes were blown into the sky in Woody Creek, Colo., amid fireworks on Aug. 20.

To Harald, may God forgive you and forgive me too but I prefer to take my life away and our baby’s before I bring him with shame or killing him, Lupe.
Suicide note.
~~ Lupe Velez, actress, d. December 13, 1944

The future is just old age and illness and pain…. I must have peace and this is the only way.
Suicide note.
~~ James Whale, film director, d. May 29, 1957

I don’t believe that people should take their own lives without deep and thoughtful reflection over a considerable period of time.
Suicide note.
~~ Wendy O. Williams, punk rock performer, d. April 6, 1998

I feel certain that I’m going mad again. I feel we can’t go thru another of those terrible times. And I shan’t recover this time. I begin to hear voices
Suicide note
~~ Virginia Woolf, author, d. March 28, 1941

 (Taken from Brain Candy Celebrity Quotes http://www.corsinet.com/braincandy/dying3.html)